Prof. Emeritus W. M. M. P. Wijeratne vs. Senior Prof. Sujeewa Amarasena, The Vice Chancellor University of Ruhuna – CA WRIT/230/2020-2025

In the case between Prof. Emeritus W. M. M. P. Wijeratne (Petitioner) and Senior Prof. Sujeewa Amarasena (Vice Chancellor, University of Ruhuna) and others (Respondents), the court addressed whether the “Academic Allowance” should be included in the calculation of gratuity under the Payment of Gratuity Act. The court held that the Academic Allowance is not required to be factored into gratuity payments for employees retiring prior to 01.06.2019, reaffirming the principle that only those allowances explicitly stipulated by statute are included in “wage or salary” for gratuity purposes. This decision relied on the express wording of the Payment of Gratuity Act and interpretation rules such as enumeratio unius est exclusio alterius and the ejusdem generis rule, emphasizing that administrative